Roll shifting device



Dec. 4, 1934. R. MULLER 1,982,685

ROLL SHIFTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1932 l N VEN TOR.

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Patented Dec. 4, 1934 PATENT OFFICE non. snrrrmo nlmcs Rudolf Miiller, Wiesbaden Biebrlch, Germany, as-

lignor to Du Pont Cellophane Company, Inc a corporation of Delaware Application December 2, 1932, Serial No. 845,438 In Germany December 14, 1931 14 Claims (Cl. 242-78) This invention relates to directing the edge of a travelling pellicle in a selective path of movement. The invention finds use in winding machines, in machines for slitting pellicles ofpaper, 6 regenerated cellulose, or the like, in guiding the edge of any travelling belt, and will be described for convenience in connection with a travelling pellicle, it being understood that this particular description does not imply a limitation.

10 Machines in which a pellicle is unrolled from a roll, passed by cutters which slit it, and is rewound in smaller rolls, are widely used in paper, metal foil, and cellulosic wrapping tissue fields.

' It often happens that the rolls, from which the pellicles are unwound, are not wound with even intensity across their whole width and that the tightness of winding varies from side to side of the roll as the roll is unwound. It follows from this and from other causes that there is sometimes a stronger pull in one section of the pellicle than another and that the pellicle creeps from side to side of the slitting machine so that the slitters cut in a somewhat irregular path which results in the formation of small pellicles of varying width, and produces an unsightly rewound roll which tends to jam automatic wrapping machines. Attempts have been made heretofore to force the pellicle to run in a selected straight path by placing against the edge of it a finger which operates mechanical gearing to shift the feed roll and keep the edge of the pellicle in a straight line. These mechanisms have been slow to act, too massive for accurate control by the edge of the pellicle, and have resulted only in a partial improvement.

It is an object of this invention to constrain the edge of a travelling pellicle or belt to travel in a selected path. Other objects of the invention are to wind a roll with an even edge, to direct the edge of a pellicle which is being slit by a machine in a line such that the pellicle. will not travel laterally of the machine, and toproduce pellicles of uniform width with evenly cut edges.

The objects of the invention are accomplished generally speaking, by moving a roller having controlling contact with the travelling belt or pellicle so as to keep the edge of the belt or film in the selected path, and by controlling this motion through a servomotor actuated by a valve pneumatically operated by the edge of the pellicle. In a slitting machine this adjustment can be accomplished by moving a roller, for instance the feed roll or the wind-up mandrel axially. The 56 objects of the invention are also accomplished by the means, method and details of construction hereinafter set forth.

The drawing shows a diagrammatic representation of a roll of material being unwound and the apparatus for guiding the pellicle edge. 10 represents a feed roll of material which is to be slit; 11 represents a pellicle being unwound from the feed roll; 40 is a fluid operated piston; 41 is a shaft connected to the end of the feed roll 10 by a loose coupling 43 which permits the feed 05 roll to be moved axially but to rotate without turning the piston in the cylinder; 42 is a hand wheel whereby the feed roll may be manually moved by the operator; 34 and 35 are pipes leading to opposite sides of the piston 40; 32 is a reservoir containing fluid for operating the piston 40; 30 is a pump for generating fluid pressure; 31 is a line connecting pump 30 with reservoir 32; 33 is a line connecting pump 30 with the central portion of valve 37; 36 is a pipe connecting the reservoir with the return side of valve 37;

24 is a cylinder; 26 is a piston in the cylinder connected to valve 37; 25 is a spring normally tending to urge the piston in one direction; 23 is a chamber in contact with the lower portion of the travelling pellicle 11; 231 are holes, preferably oblong in shape and having their long axis perpendicular to the edge of the pellicle 11, which are partially covered in normal position by the pellicle; the holes 231 may be of equal size or they may be of varying sizes depending upon the delicacy of control; they may be placed side by side on a line parallel to the pellicle edge, on a line perpendicular thereto, or in any other effective position; 22 is a pipe connecting cylinder 24 with chamber 23; 21 is a suction pump for producing a partial vacuum in the system 2322-24;

20 is a motor for operating pump 30 and pump 21.

The device functions as follows: When the pellicle is running normally it partially covers the holes 231; the pump 21 produces a partial vacuum in the system 23-22-24 which balances the pressure of spring 25 and keeps the valve 3'7 over the ends of pipes 34 and 35 so that there is no tendency for piston 40 tobe moved. If the edge of the pellicle moves laterally it tends either to uncover more of holes 231 or to cover up those which are normally exposed. If the motion of the pellicle has been to expose the holes, a rush of air will occur in the system 23--2224, the partial l05 vacuum will be partially or wholly broken and the spring 25 will throw the valve 37, opening pipe 35 to pressure from pump 30 which will move the roll 10 until the pellicle 11 comes again into normal position over the holes 231, and

opening pipe 34 to the reservoir which allows the ejection of fluid from the contracting chamber of the cylinder. When the pellicle moves to cover the holes 231 a higher vacuum is created in the system 23-42-24, the resistance of spring 25 is overbalanced and the valve 37 is moved to open pipe 34 to the pump and the pipe 35 to the reservoir, the pressure from the pump returning the roll 10 to a position where the pellicle is properly located over the holes 231. The motor 20 may be connected to pump 30 by a slipping clutch so that pump 30 will not work when the pipes 34 and 35 are covered by the valve 37, or it can be alternatively provided with pressure valves which permit a return of fluid to a reservoir when the pressure in line 33 exceeds a selected value.

By the means herein de cribed there is provided a controlling and gui ing apparatus which may be made to respond, by proper selection of the force of the spring and the vacuum, to extremely small or only to relatively large changes in position of the pellicle.

An advantage of the invention lies in quick and accurate control of the position of the edge of a travelling belt or pellicle. A particular advantage of the invention lies in accurate control of the position of the pellicle in a slitting machine. Another advantage of the invention is the almost instantaneous speed with which even slight variations in position of the pellicle edge may be corrected. Another advantage of the invention is the method of controlling the servomotor. Another advantage of the invention is the production of pellicles of accurately uniform width. Other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement, means for unwinding a pellicle from the roll, and means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a spring pressed against said piston, an enclosed chamber, a pipe connecting the cylinder and the chamber, a pump for establishing reduced pressure in the system, means for varying the pressure in the system and the position of the piston in the cylinder comprising holes in the chamber partially covered in normal position by the edge of the pellicle, a second cylinder, a piston therein connected to the end of the roll, a source of fluid pressure, and a valve operated by the first said piston for directing the fluid pressure to one side or the other of the second piston.

2. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement, means for unwinding a pellicle from the roll, and means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine comprising a cylinder and a piston, spring means normally urging the piston in one direction, pneumatic means opposing said urging means comprising an enclosed chamber connected with said cylinder and a suction pump connected to the system for establishing reduced pressure therein and means for varying the position of the piston comprising holes in the chamber partially covered in normal position by the edge of the pellicle, a second cylinder, a piston therein connected to the end of the roll, a

source of fluid pressure and a valve operated by the first said piston for directing the fluid from one side or the other of the second piston.

3. Ina machine a roll mounted for axial move ment, means for unwinding a pellicle from the roll, and means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine. comprising a cylinder and a piston, spring means normally urging the piston in one direction, pneumatic means opposing said urging means comprising an enclosed chamber connected with said cylinder and a suction pump connected to the system for establishing reduced pressure therein and'means for varying the position of the pistoncomprising holes in the chamber partially covered in normal position by the edge of the pellicle, a valve operated by the first said piston, and fluid pressure means attached to the roll and operated by the valve.

4. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement and having controlling contact with a movable pellicle or belt, fluid pressure operated means for moving the roll axially, a valve for admitting fluid pressure to the said fluid pressure means, and means for operatingthe valve comprising a cylinder containing a piston operably connected to the valve, means tending to thrust the piston in one direction, a chamber connected to the cylinder and provided with holes arranged in position to be normally partially covered by the pellicle, and a suction pump normally maintaining in the chamber a pressure suflicient to equal the thrust of the said means and hold the valve piston in balance.

5. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement and having controlling contact with a pellicle or belt, fluid operated means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine, and valve means for operating s'aid fluid operated means comprising a cylinder containing a piston operably connected to the valve, means to thrust the piston in one direction, a chamber connected with the cylinder and provided with holes arranged in position to be normally partly covered by the pellicle, and a suction pump normally maintaining in the cylinder pressure suflicient to hold the piston in balance.

6. In a machine a moving pellicle, fluid operated means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine, and valve means for operating said fluid operated means comprising a springpressed valve held in balance by fluid pressure .and pneumatic means operated by the edge 01.

the pellicle for changing the fluid pressure opposing the thrust of the spring to operate the valve.

7. In a machine a moving pellicle, fluid operated means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine, and valve means for operating said fluid operated means comprising a valve; and means to thrust said valve in one direction held in balance by fluid pressure and pneumatic means operated by the edge of the pellicle for changing the fluid pressure opposing the action or the thrusting means. I

8. In a machine a moving pellicle, liquid operated means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine, and valve means for operating said liquid operated means comprising a valve and means to thrust said valvein one direction held in balance by fluid pressure, and pneumatic means operated by the edge of the pellicle for changing the fluid pressure opposing the action of the thrusting means.

9. In a machine a moving pellicle, liquid operated means for adjusting the pellicle laterally oi the machine, and valve means for operating said liquid operated means comprising a spring pressed valve held in balance by fluid pressure, and pneumatic means operated by the edge 0! the pellicle for changing the fluid pressure opposing the thrust of the spring to operate the valve.

10. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement and having controlling contact with a pellicle or belt, liquid operated means for adjusting the pellicle laterally oi the machine, and valve means for operating said'liquid operated means comprising a cylinder containing a piston operably connected to the valve, means to thrust the piston in one direction, a chamber connected with the cylinder and provided with holes arranged in position to be normally partly covered by the pellicle, and a pump normally maintaining in the cylinder pressure sufllcient to hold the piston in balance.

11. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement and having controlling contact with a movable pellicle or belt, liquid pressure operated means for moving the roll axially, a valve for admitting liquid pressure to the said liquid pressure means, and means for operating the valve comprising a cylinder containing a piston operably connected to the valve, means tending to thrust the piston in one direction, a chamber connected to the cylinder and provided with holes arranged in position to be normally partially covered by the pellicle, and a suction pump normally maintaining in the chamber a pressure sufllcient to equal the thrust of the said means and hold the valve piston in balance.

12. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement, means for unwinding a pellicle from the roll, and means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine comprising a cylinder and a piston, spring means normally urging the piston in one direction, pneumatic means opposing said urging means comprising an enclosed chamber connected with said cylinder and a suction pump connected to the system for establishing reduced pressure therein and means for varying the position of the piston comprising holes in the chamber partially covered in normal position by the edge of the pellicle, a valve operated by the first said piston, and liquid pressure means attached to the roll and operated by the valve.

13. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement, means for unwinding a pellicle from the roll, and means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine comprising a cylinder and a piston, spring means normally urging the piston in one direction, pneumatic means opposing said urging means comprising an enclosed chamber connected with said cylinder and a suction pump connected to the system for establishing reduced pressure therein and means for varying the position of the piston comprising holes in the chamber partially covered in normal position by the edge of the pellicle, a second cylinder, a piston therein connected to the end of the roll, a source of liquid pressure and a valve operated by the first said piston for directing the liquid from one side or the other or the second piston.

14. In a machine a roll mounted for axial movement, means for unwinding a pellicle from the roll, and means for adjusting the pellicle laterally of the machine comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a spring pressed against said piston, an enclosed chamber, a pipe connecting the cylinder and the chamber, a pump for establishing reduced pressure in the system, means for varying the pressure in the system and the position of the piston in the cylinder comprising holes in the chamber partially covered in normal position by the edge of the pellicle, a second cylinder, a piston therein connected to the end or the roll, a source of liquid pressure, and a valve operated by the first said piston for directing the liquid pressure to one side or the other of the second piston.

RUDOLF MULLER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

man No. 1,982,685.

December 4, 1934.

v RUDOLF MiS'LLER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 118, claim 5, strike out the word "suction"; 'and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of March, D. 1935.

(Seal) Leslie Frazer Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

